Karaoke Forums

do we have the best set-up for our equipment?

RSQ-MV333 triple tray cd-g player
Beringer Europower PMX1000 mixer
Beringer Europower EP2500 Amp
2 -15" KPC speaker cabs 125W/250W 8ohm
2 -15" Peavey speaker cabs PR12NEO 400W 8ohm
2 -12" KPC monitors 100W/200W 8ohm

we run the amp out of the mixer's main outs to all speaker cabs, and the monitors directly out of the mixer form outputs A and B using speakon cable adaptors. speakers are usually in front of the singers by at least 10 feet, depending on our venues- (small narrow bars and small dance halls, one street dance per year usually)
we have some problems with balancing music and vocal output and an overall "muddy" sound sometimes
any advice is appreciated!

Hate to sound stupid, but are you running the powered mixer to an even more powerful poweramp, and then to all the speakers......especially to the KPCs, which you said are only rated 125/250....or power amp to Peavys only, and mixer amp to KPCs?. Are there subs, you haven't metioned? could you clarify.......running mono or stereo....speakers paralell 2x2......or in series???.......Lonni will fix you up, when he sees your post...

He is running the MAIN OUT of the mixer to the EP2500, which is the right thing to do in this case. The monitors are driven by the power amps in the powered mixer -- this is one of the options you have (main left/right OR mon 1 and mono OR bridged).

"Muddy" sound sometimes comes from speakers being out of phase. You say "main out to amp to all cabs", but how is that wired?

I guess my first question would be why the use of both the KPC and the peavey speakers for frontals at the same time. I assume ( Ya I know) the KPC is a 15+horn and the Peavey (seeing how the model is PR12 Neo) is a 12+horn cabinet. I would assume for all intents and purposes that the KPC's and the Peavey's are trying to produce the same frequencies which is more than likely causing some phase cancelling. I think I would first try just using one set or the other and see if that helps improve the clarity of your system. More isn't always better. I read the specs on the speakers and Id have to think that perhaps the Peavey's can do a fine job on their own, just guessing though. Like mentioned by Mckyj 57 and Johnny Reverb more detailed information would be of help. I'm also a little curious about the monitor, if the switch is set to monitor and you are using both A and B speaker outputs, isn't output A sending the monitor signal to one monitor and output B sending a frontal signal to the other monitor?

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Quickness of mind will deceive the eye

Yes, that's right. I like it that way, because then I can monitor the main mix from my station while I shamelessly manipulate the singer with the monitor feed.

we have the switch running on main left/right, not on monitor or bridge mode. daisy chaining 14 gauge cable to kustoms, then to peaveys. like the better low end sound on the kustoms, may have had some damage to the peaveys from our son's band
also what is the power amp insert on the mixer for??? (sorry to sound so ignorant)
haven't hooked up the amp this way yet, didn't want to mess anything up.  manuals were a little confusing since we don't have insruments for inputs

"Daisy chaining"? Is there an in-out connector on the Kustom?

As was suggested, you should try it with one set of speakers only and see if
the sound clarifies.


That allows you to insert a line-level signal (i.e. an output from another
mixer) to use the power amp on the PMX-1000, cutting it's mixer out of the
loop.

In looking at the specs on the mains that you have, I would select the Peavey’s over the Kustoms for the following reasons:

The Peavey’s have a 90 x 40 degree constant directivity horn and titanium driver, while the Kustom has a much lower profile horn (80 x 20?) which is not constant directivity and has just a “high frequency” driver spec’d.

The Peavey’s have a much better chance at providing good clear sound projection. If your having problems with muddy sound, they should be mounted as high above the audience as you can get them. If on stands get them up to where the horns are a foot or more above the top of your head. Even higher would be better, but make sure they are stable on the stands.

You also state:

“may have had some damage to the peaveys from our son's band”

This is a major problem if there is damage. You need to determine if that is the case. What kind of “damage” are you talking about? Have the speakers been checked by a professional? Have you taken ohms readings in both directions across the terminals, etc.?

If the speakers are damaged, then that is a big part of your problem.

My gut feel is the Kustom speakers based on their design, will be either muddy or too bright. I had a similar pair when I first started doing gigs and I could never get them to sound decent. I had to crank the highs and put tape over a portion of the horn port to cut the shrill brightness down, otherwise they were all bass.

Also, be careful how hard you drive the mid setting(s) on the equalizer of your mixer. Two way speakers really don't have the mid capability of a 3-way speaker. The crossovers usually try to compensate for that, and you get a muddy mid if you drive them too hard, because some is coming from the main driver and some from the horn. I always back off the mids a bit on two-ways.